There's a whole lot of information out there on weight lifting and fitness, but some of it is, excuse our french, total friggin' poo poo.

So how do you separate fact from fiction??

Just check out this list of the top 5 weight-lifting myths:

MYTH 1: GOOD FORM IS EVERYTHING IN THE GYM

The claim: Performing exercises the way they're intended will maximize results.

The truth: Sometimes cheating can boost your gains. Using a bit of momentum in the lateral raise, for example, increases the torque of your shoulder joint, helping you raise a heavier weight to the point at which your deltoids take over, notes a study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. "You can achieve a similar effect with biceps curls," says sports biomechanist Bret Contreras, C.S.C.S. Just keep the body English to a minimum.

The truth: Slow and steady is a smart strategy for lowering a weight, but lifting it quickly activates more type II muscle fibers, which have the greatest growth potential. Bottom line: "Vary your lifting speed," says Henkin. "In the bench press, for example, pause every 5 inches on the way down, and then push up explosively." Varying your pace will fatigue you faster, so start doing this on the last reps of your final set.

The truth: The sweet spot is 6 to 15 reps, says Brad Schoenfeld, C.S.C.S., author of The MAX Muscle Plan. Lifting a moderate weight in that rep range creates an optimal balance of muscular tension and metabolic stress. That in turn maximizes your protein production after exercise as well as the number of contracting mechanisms within a muscle cell. The result: serious gains in size, strength, and force production.

MYTH 4: RESTING BETWEEN SETS IS CRITICAL

The claim: Giving your muscles a break lets you put your all into every set.

The claim: There's a window of opportunity after a workout when muscles are primed to respond to protein.

The truth: That idea is based on a small number of short-term studies that evaluated people who trained after fasting overnight, says Alan Aragon, M.S., a Men's Health nutrition advisor. Your focus should be on total daily protein. "Shoot for 1 gram per pound of body weight a day," he says. Falling short? Down a protein shake whenever it's most convenient for you. (Store-bought shakes can be over-priced and low on protein.

Wow! We really believed a few of those.

You trying to add some muscle? Tone up a little bit?

These tips will help you achieve your goals quicker! Don't set yourself back with misinformation!